Page 53 of Culture and Curiosities
Had he left all his toys at home?
“It’s going to be fun.” Easing back the emotions made his ability to speak easier, but it did not seem to negatively affect his feelings. “I like going.”
“We are going to have a wonderful time exploring and then we will make decisions about our future.” Reinforcing our deal had happiness shining in our bond. Wren had easily agreed to the slightly vague plan and his excitement was clear. “I am enjoying your Earth and you will love all the different parts of my world.”
Ah.
“But to understand what we must bring for your happiness, my mate, you must show me all your toys.” Yes. That logic would be appreciated by both the other Daddies and the diner men. Quiet giggles even came through our bond. “Computer research alone will not help me, my sweet boy. I need a cute squirrel or a naughty sub to do what is called hands-on research.”
Otherwise I would need to discuss borrowing Klynn’s reading device and he had already stated I couldpry it out of his cold dead hands.
His Daddy needed to monitor his reading material as well.
More happy sounds radiated from my mate and he gave another wiggle that always indicated excitement of some sort.
“Readers are kind of scary sometimes. I like books but not that much.” Wren imagined a light bulb going off over his head, which I understood from a previous explanation. “Daddy? What is his hoard?”
Oh.
“I don’t think I ever asked.” That wasn’t private in the way some human topics were considered not for public, but it was not something we discussed. “It may be related to reading or books in some way, my mate. That is an issue I had not considered.”
It would explain the threats of violence, however.
“I’ll ask. He’ll just think I’m being a bit too human.” When I mentally wondered about Klynn’s response, he shrugged. “He can tell me he doesn’t want to talk about it or safeword, but he won’t be mean. Besides, it would help us make him happy if we understood the situation more.”
That was correct.
“Should this not be a Daddy problem?” I wasn’t always sure when to take control but protecting him from a grumpy little seemed like a Daddy situation.
Wren giggled.
“Nope. Can’t always save me from cranky people.” Sitting up, he shook his head as he smiled. “There are probably going to be a lot of people on the other side of the gate that won’t like me for a variety of reasons, and you can’t protect me from all of them.”
“I can try.” The sparkly dragon was very confident that human forms were crunchy and easily digested. “You are my mate.”
Kissing my cheek, he nodded. “But we can’t eat people.”
I wasn’t sure I agreed with that, so a distraction seemed to be in order. “Let’s see if a squirrel is dangerous enough to eat cranky people.”
Giggling, Wren sucked in a breath when I lifted him up and set him on the bed. “Daddy.”
“Squirrel.” That got more happy sounds from my mate and no more questions about my ability to protect him. “What should we play first?”
That was a question we could both approve of.
“I have cars and books and dolls.” Starting to climb off the bed, I trapped my mate getting more giggles from him. “They’re little. I have to show you.”
“I have to get you ready first.” Stripping off his shirt shifted his mindset immediately and he collapsed back onto the bed, trying to roll away from me. “Got you.”
“I’m a wiggly worm.” His side-to-side movements were adorable but I was faster.
And unwilling to figure out how to manage a worm.
“I have a squirrel not a silly monkey pretending to be a worm.” I still wasn’t sure why monkeys or geese were silly but they were. “You’ll get eaten.”
Pretending to chomp on his stomach got more laughter from my silly boy, but when I stopped, he went boneless and I won. I did not gloat, however, and changed his clothes quickly.
He was a wonderfully happy squirrel, running around the bed on all fours in what his brain described as a scurry. The word was odd and seemed more like a sound, but I trusted his knowledge of English as he made a variety of noises I didn’t think would actually come from a squirrel.
